Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
The Fine Art of Snacking
I love snacking. Love. It. Of course, I adore eating in all its forms, but there is something special about snacking. Watching a movie, reading, playing with my phone, working on the computer, or chatting with family and friends: all of these delightful activities are made even more sublime with the addition of snacks.
So herewith, my nominations for the best snacks in each of the theme’s categories (plus one: savory). It’s important to note that a snack is different from a meal course: that is, my favorite dessert (chocolate chip cookies with milk or mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches) will be different from my favorite sweet snack.
Sweet
Post Honey Ohs cereal, dry, straight out of the box. This snack can’t be beat for crunchiness, sweetness, and sheer shove-it-in-your-face-like-there’s-no-tomorrow snackability. I’m (not really) ashamed to admit that one box contains approximately one serving. Best consumed while playing with your phone. Suggested beverage: fizzy water.
Sour
Salt and vinegar potato chips, preferably Cape Cod or similar extra-crunchy texture. (You can keep your Lay’s, thank you.) So sour and vinegary they make you pucker but you just can’t stop once you put that first delicious chip in your mouth. Best consumed while watching football. Suggested beverage: plain room-temperature water.
Spicy
Chips and salsa. I’m partial to Tostitos Bite Size Rounds because the size is perfect (I hate having to bite into a huge chip or try to fit a too-big chip into my mouth) and the quality (crunch, subtle saltiness) are very consistent. I know there are lots of other better tortilla chips out there, but Tostitos Bite Size are my choice for affordable, mass-market chips. As for salsa, any medium to hot salsa is fine: jarred salsa, the refrigerated kind from the deli, or fresh salsa made with vegetables from the garden. I usually blend it first because I don’t like slimy vegetables and prefer a smooth consistency. Best consumed when you are sitting at a table to use the computer and you can arrange the chips and salsa and laptop in a pleasing and convenient way. Suggested beverage: orange juice/diet ginger ale mixture.
Savory
White Cheddar Cheez-its. The best cheese cracker, hands-down. Cheez-its have the perfect amount of cheesy powder on each cracker and they receive bonus points for being so perfectly bite-sized. They are also filling, so they are a good choice for a mid-afternoon snack when you still have several hours before dinner. Best consumed while reading a book on the couch. Suggested beverage: Diet Pepsi.
Any other dedicated snackers out there? What are your favorite snacks, in any category?
Published in Group Writing
Randy, thank you for giving snack foods the time and careful attention they so richly deserve.
Perhaps we should demonstrate our snacking bona fides by posting our weight and BMI so we know who is serious and who is a poseur.
I will lead: I am 241.7 lbs and a BMI of 33.7
Totally not playing that game. Mainly because it’s been a year since I weighed myself.
Seconding that. They also make something called “Bistro Flavor,” which is . . . many savory flavors.
Best pure unadorned chip, at the moment, is Trader Joe’s Olive Oil potato chip.
Post lunch jolt of sweetness to override the spices of the sandwich: a piece of Wiley Wallaby Licorice, made by a company up the road that also makes a popular dog food. As far as I know the product lines are kept separate.
Made with bits of real bistro!
Thank goodness the BMI is BS!
I would think the bolded part requires confirmation.
Wiley Wallaby is local?
You mean the people who tell me it’s from Australia are (gasp!) lying to me?
It really is wonderful stuff.
I have a cow-orker who is addicted to licorice, and I’ll bribe him with it when I want to get on his good side.
Extreme moderation. Love it.
What? I didn’t have any. Why did you even ask ? Ok, maybe a couple, but I blame Charlotte. . .
The Tell-Tale Cheetos Dust was Poe’s little-known follow up to The Tell-Tale Heart.
Has everyone discovered Crumbl Cookies? OMG. So delicious, but outrageous calorie counts. The current Oreo-like one has a whopping 840 calories for the whole cookie, so you have to sliver it out during the week if you’re not going to be as wide as a house.
They are apparently opening a place in Our Fair City. Ridonkulously expensive. But . . .
. . . but . . .
Haven’t heard of that one, but I have been to Insomnia Cookies. First heard about it when the kids went to UNC-CH. Expensive, but worth the occasional indulgence.
Is this a typo? Or a reflection of his BMI and temperament?
In former times, doctors would examine the tongue to assess Cheetos addiction and other ailments of the deranged nervous system.
Hint: Orange Tongue Bad.
That’s no typo. Drew lives in America’s Dairyland.
Sorry, “cow-orker” is the term I use regularly in reference to those people with whom I . . . er, . . . work.
I believe its origin lies in the Dilbert comic strip.
When a Crumbl cookies store opened up near us, people were lined up out the door. I am not a fan of bakery cookies – usually too sweet or crunchy. And not worth the price.
I don’t often purchase Keebler’s Fudge Sticks because I can eat the whole package in one sitting, but they are my favorite.
You must try them. They have chocolate chip all the time and then rotate 4 different ones each week. The new ones debut on Sunday and the fun is seeing what the new ones are. Some weeks I can resist. Other weeks….
I’ve had (half) of one. My sister in law gave my mom a box of those cookies for Mother’s Day. At first I was like “What the eff, mom?! Only six cookies? Jane is a cheapskate!”
But then I was offered a sample.